Natural Light

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Do you want to declutter yourself, your home and your family of things that just make you, well, “stressed?” Here are ten simple things you can do to start living each day happy, smiling and content in life. Good tips especially for parents! Brought to you by Martha Stewart’s Whole Living.

1. Create a Happy Zone

Whether it’s a whole room, a nook, or just a chair, make one spot in the house your personal place for peace and joy, Blanke says. Everyone in the family should know that when you are there, you are not to be disturbed. On the flip side, save one area, like a desk or a corner, for the not-so-fun stuff — bills, papers to file, to-do lists — and the stress that comes with them.

2. Make Your Bed Every Day

“The state of your bed reflects the state of your head,” says Zen Buddhist priest and author Karen Maezen Miller. Forget hospital corners — just take a few minutes to smooth the covers out.

3. Let the Natural Light Be Your Morning Alarm Clock

Trade the blackout shades in the bedroom for more translucent ones; it’s a gentler wake-up call. “When your alarm goes off, your first feeling is resistance, which creates stress,” Miller says. “The rest of the world awakes with the sun — why don’t we?”

4. Declutter Using Emotion as Your Guiding Principle

Consider how each possession makes you feel. Don’t keep things with negative energy, like gifts from people you had a falling-out with, photos from unhappy times or failed relationships, unfinished projects, clothes that are too small, or medicines from an old ailment, Blanke says. Make room for things that have a positive association.

(Tip: If you have to mull over whether to toss a particular item, you probably don’t need it.)

5. End Each Evening by Performing a Completion Ritual

Make it something you know you should do but don’t always — like washing all the dishes in the sink or hanging up clothes. It will help your mind recognize that the day is finished.